Friday, May 17, 2013

Those 2 R's...

When fear (worry, concern, hyperventilation,fast heart beat, etc.) raises it's ugly head, sometimes the best thing for me to do is say out loud, to satan... GET OUT OF HERE, NOW!!

I am convinced that for us, as women, fear is one of our biggest pitfalls. Often it comes sneaking in through a crack in our minds that we thought was sealed up tight.

Here's the order it usually happens in my life:

...concern
...worry
...anxiety

It often begins with valid concern, about a situation or person or whatever it is...

Then my mind gets into gear. I can go from a sore throat to full blown cancer in a matter of seconds! 

A few of the potential pitfalls for many of us are...

...finances
...children
...marriage
...health
...relationships

If any one of those are off kilter, our wheels begin to turn, and churn. 

Satan quickly grabs hold of worry in my life, and uses all of his tools to make it bigger and worse!

Remember my dad's 2 R's??

RECOGNIZE IT...

REFUSE IT...

First, recognize that fear is not from God. He is not a God of fear. Honest concerns about life are real, but the scale gets tipped into fear if we do not guard our minds. God tells us exactly the opposite, that when these things come our way, we are to trust Him, with all of it.

Second, if we choose immediately to refuse it, satan will not get his foot into the open door of our minds. I am learning, after many years of trial and error, that the quicker I get to God with my worries, the better off I am... always! It requires a submission to Him of what is causing the worry. 

The temptation, for me, is to try to look at it from every angle and work it out myself first... than later, when it has grown and taken root, I realize... again... that God wants it... all of it, and that His promises cover it... all of it!

11 comments:

Sandy said...

This is such a needed lesson on how to deal with the lies of the enemy, Sonja! I agree wholeheartedly with the advice you're offering because it is completely biblical. The Lord does not want His children living anyway except in authority.

Vee said...

Valuable words...I'm snagging for my little list for I will need to visit again and reread as needed.

NanaNor's said...

Hi friend, Hope all is well with your soul today. This is such a powerful post-I agree that as women, we tend to worry and fret more. I try to just keep repeating that "I trust you Lord" when doubts assail.
Hugs, Noreen

Maryann said...

I'm still learning to do this myself...oh, how easy it is to fall into the cycle of concern, worry, anxiety. I love the simplicity of the 2 R's...recognize and refuse...now just remembering to apply those 2 R's

Sharon said...

You are preaching to the choir, friend. I battle worry and anxiety so much. And yes, it all stems from my underlying attempt to control things.

Love your dad's 2 R's - now I need to practice what he preached!!

GOD BLESS!

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

You read my mail again this morning..and that is what I am going to do...just what you said. I think I was going that way when I started singing the song I posted this morning. I also think we need to remind Satan of his future and of ours...he is going to be in H..........

Debbie Petras said...

I love your dad's 3 E's. I can have this tendency toward fear at times. I love when you share these lessons with us.

Love you,
Debbie

Debbie said...

Clearly an inspired post. I know this because it not only speaks to ME, but I know that you and I share a lot of blog friends in common, and Satan is having a big old field day racing from one of my friends to the next with his fear and anxiety and worry and every other similar weapon his has in his arsenal.

I loved and NEEDED the reminder: Recognize that filthy sack of his.
I love your dad's 2 Rs. I agree with what you said about the quicker you get to God with it, the better it is.

I have started pre-praying my anxiety. I know that sounds kind of silly, but I also know ME. I have started praying in advance when I know something is going to crack the door. I can't decide if that's a sign of a healthy prayer life or just a new mutant form of hyper anxiety.

Which, now that I think about it, ought to worry me just a little...
(Just kidding about the last part. Humor is a weapon I have in MY arsenal.)

Kathleen said...

Nothing like keeping it simple. I love the common sense of this post, Sonja.

Fear shows us less frequently today than it did in my younger years, but when it does I comes with all the physical symptoms you describe; and for all the same reasons.

I guess God's not done with me yet. So glad for that!

Hugs,
Kathleen

myletterstoemily said...

what would we do without your dad?
i love the wisdom and simplicity of
his 2R's.

recognizing and refusing, sistah!,
lea

Soul's Panting said...

Gee, Sonja - glad I'm not the only one who gets like this! Thank God, " Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4